Detachably mountable pendent and coacting removable element



Sept. 5, 1967' c. BURY 3,339,300

DETACHABLY MOUNTABLB PENDENT AND COACTING REMOVABLE ELEMENT Filed Feb. 5. 1965 Q INVENTOR AUBREY BURY 6 FIG. 5. 24w/ MQ ATTORNEY United States Patent C) Jersey Filed Feb. 5, 1965, Ser. No. 430,649 9 Claims. (Cl. 401.5)

This invention relates to What may be generally referred to as detachably mountable pendent devices and coacting removable elements. More particularly, the invention relates to pendent devices of the character described, capable of simple molding from plastic material and the like, to provide portions yieldably movable in one plane to facilitate detachable mounting thereof, and other portions yieldably movable in a perpendicularly dispersed plane to facilitate engagement and disengagement of the coacting removable elements.

There are many instances in which it is desirable to provide detachably mountable pendent means for holding and exposing to view a token, card, disc, or other flat element which may bear some name, slogan, ornamentation, or other useful characterization while at the same time permitting such element to be removed, reattached, or

I changed at will. Typical examples of instances in which devices of this general type are used, include price markers for merchandise in stores, identification means for use at meetingsand conventions, and holders for the accessible support of disc elements, such as coins, tokens,

. golf markers, and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a detachably mountable pendent device adaptable to the vari- 'ous uses above mentioned, which can be inexpensively device which serves the dual function of facilitating proper insertion, and assuring predetermined positioning of a coacting element.

These and other objects of the invention will be readily i understood from the following description, and the accompanying drawing,

in which a preferred adaptation of the invention is illustrated with the various parts thereof identified by suitable reference characters in the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan or front view of a detachably mountable pendent device with a coacting removable element in engagement therewith.

FIG. 2 is a'sectional view on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional View of the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 a partial sectional view on the line '44 of FIG. 1 with the coacting element in a partially disengaged position. I

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of FIG. 4 with the coacting element shown in positions of partial and full engagement with the device, and

3,339,300 Patented Sept. 5, 1967 FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the two parts of the device as oriented for collective molding as a unitary body.

For purpose of illustration, the novel structural features of the detachably mountable pendent device and coacting removable element have been shown in the drawing as applied to a golf marker adapted to be worn on a belt, or on the upper edge of a skirt, or trouser when playing golf. In this adaptation, the overall height of the device (top to bottom as shown in FIG. 1) measures about 2 to 2%".

This pendent device 10 comprises a body part 11 joining at its upper end the central portion of a perpendicular depending cross-head 12, the lower side edges of which integrally join downwardly extending clamp members 13, 13' having lower ends bowed in the direction of the body part 11, as seen at 14 in FIG. 3, providing a restricted spacing 15 to frictionally receive a belt or garment edge.

The device can be suitably fashioned from metal, molded plastics or the like, and it will be noted that the orientation of the parts 11, 12 and 13, 13' (as Well as other parts of the device to be described) has been shown plastic material, the clamp members 13, 13 will provide resilient relative movement between the body part 11 and clamp members 13, 13, so that the space 15 can accommodate to different belt or garment thicknesses.

The lower end of the body integrally joins the central portion of an inverted U-shaped clamp means 16, the depending legs 17, 17 of which have slightly convergent lower ends 18, 18', and provide resilient peripheral clamping engagement with a removable disc 19. The disc 19 can be of varying peripheral contour as for example, hexagonal, octagonal, eliptical, or round, and has been shown as a round disc merely because this is the shape most widely accepted as a golf marker. The disc 19 can be plain, suitably colored, or can bear special characterizations, such as a slogan or advertising design.

While the clamp means 16 and the depending legs 17, 17 have been shown as simulating a horse-shoe in appearance, it is to be understood that external shape and appearance are capable of unlimited variation in design and ornamentation. Regardless of external design, however, the legs 17, 17' will carry, on inner opposed surfaces thereof, rounded fins 20, 20' at the lower ends 18, 18' and, spaced therefrom, elongated fins 21, 21, both sets of fins being in alignment with the rear face 22 of the device, as seen in FIG. 4, and having a thickness of A to /3 that of the legs 17, 17' (note FIG. 4). Intermediate the fins 20, 21 and 20', 21' are opposed fins 23, 23' corresponding with the first named fins in thickness but aligned with the outer face 24 of the legs 17, 17'. This provides a spacing as seen at 25 in FIG. 4 between outer faces of the first named fins, and inner faces of the last named fins between which the disc 19 is restrained from front to rear movement while peripherally engaged between the legs 17, 17' as shown in FIG. 1.

The disc receiving space 25 can be considered as discontinuous groove means extending longitudinally of the legs 17, 17', and it will be noted that the fins forming this discontinuous groove means extend toward each other a distance less than about one-quarter of the spacing between the legs. This leaves an unobstructed space between the fin edges somewhat greater than half the diameter of the disc 19, so that for removal of the disc, it can be simply engaged between the thumb and finger and drawn downwardly (as shown in FIG. 1) between the yieldable ends 18, 18 of the device.

Insertion of the disc 19 in the device can be the simple reverse operation of engaging the surface of the disc with the fins 20, 20 between the leg ends 18, 18', and sliding it upwardly in the groove means 25. In FIGS. 4 and 5, however, there is shown an alternative method of attachment in which the disc 19 is inserted angularly between fins 20, 23 and 20, 23, swung to a position of alinement with the groove means 25 as shown at 19a in FIG. 4, and then slid longitudinally of the groove means to engage fins 21, 21'.

In order to facilitate the latter method of attachment, slightly protruding ribs 26, 26' may be provided on each of the legs 17, 17 traversing the groove means 25 in alignment with the portions of fins 23, 23 adjacent to the fins 20, 20'. The ribs 26, 26' provide a temporary stop, limiting the extent of angular insertion of the disc 19 to that which will permit clearance of the fins 21, 21' as the disc is swung from the full line position to the dotted line position 19a in FIG. 4. Then from the dotted posit-ion 19a, sliding the disc along the groove means 25 to engage the fins 21, 21, causes momentary lateral flexure of the legs 17, 17 as the disc passes over the ribs 26, 26'. It will thus be apparent that the ribs 26, 26" perform the second function of providing positioning means, preventing inadvertent movement from the dotted position 1912, as shown in FIG. 5.

Since the ribs 26, 26' associated with the fins 23, 23" provide an independent disc restraining means, it will be apparent that a device equipped with ribs 26, 26 need not have the leg ends 18, 18 as closely spaced as indicated in the drawing. In other words, the use of the ribs 26, 26 would be of special advantage in any instance in which the external design or ornamentation of the device called for parallel or divergent leg ends, rather than the convergent leg ends which characterize the horse-shoe design.

In FIG. 6 of the drawing, there is a fragmentary showing of the relationship of the disc 19 and the leg ends 18, 18' of the device which permits practical molding of the two parts as a single assemblage, the limited points of contact 'at 27, 27' permitting the disc 19 to be readily separated for mounting in the groove means 25 as previously described. The unitary molding of the two parts has the advantage of facilitating handling and distribution while eliminating the need for a potentially costly assembly operation. I

Various changes and modifications in the detachably mountable pendent devices and coacting removable elements as herein described will occur to those skilled in the art, and to the extent that such changes and modifications are embraced by the appended claims, it is to be understood that they constitute part of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A detachably mountable pendent device comprising a relatively flat elongated body part, one end of said body part having an integral, rearwardly extending cross-head protruding laterally beyond side edges of said body, resilient clamp members integral with said cross-head and rearwardly spaced from said body part providing clamping movement perpendicularly to the plane of said body part, said clamp members being spaced apart a distance at least equal to the width of said body part, whereby said body part, cross-head and clamp members can be fashioned in a unitary cavity of a two-part mold, the other end of said body part being divided into two laterally spaced members yieldably movable in the plane of said body part to provide peripheral engagement with a disc-like coacting element disposed therebetween.

2. A detachably mountable pendent device comprising a relatively flat elongated body part, one end of said body part having an integral, rearwardly extending cross-head protruding laterally beyond side edges of said body, resilient clamp members integral with said cross-head and rearwardly spaced from said body part providing clamping movement perpendicularly to the plane of said body part, said clamp members being spaced apart a distance at least equal to the width of said body part, whereby said body part, cross-head and clamp members can be fashioned in a unitary cavity of a two-part mold, the other end of said body part being divided into two laterally spaced members yieldably movable in the plane of said body part to provide peripheral engagement with a disc-like coacting element disposed therebetween, and discontinuous groove means at opposed edges of said laterally spaced members preventing forward and rearward displacement of an engaged coacting element.

3. A detachably mountable pendent device comprising a relatively fiat elongated body part, one end of said body part having an integral, rearwardly extending cross-head protruding laterally beyond side edges of said body, resilient clamp members integral with said cross-head and rearwardly spaced from said body part providing clamping movement perpendicularly to the plane of said body part, said clamp members being spaced apart a distance at least equal to the width of said body part, whereby said body part, cross-head and clamp members can be fashioned in a unitary cavity of a two-part mold, the other end of said body part being divided into two laterally spaced members yieldably movable in the plane of said body part to provide peripheral engagement with a disc-like coating element disposed therebetween, and discontinuous groove means at opposed edges of said laterally spaced members preventing forward and rearward displacement of an engaged coacting element, said discontinuous groove means being formed by at least three opposed pairs of thin fins alternately positioned rearwardly and forwardly of the device to permit slidable movement of a disc-like coacting element therebetween.

4. A detachably mountable pendent device as defined in claim 2, wherein said laterally spaced members have at opposed points inwardly protruding means impeding movement of a coacting element longitudinally of said groove means.

5. A detachably mountable pendent device as defined in claim 2, wherein said laterally spaced members have at opposed points inwardly protruding means impeding movement of a coacting element longitudinally of said groove means, and said inwardly protruding means being at the lower extremity of said laterally spaced members.

6. A detachably mountable pendent device as defined in claim 3, wherein said laterally spaced members have at opposed points inwardly protruding means impeding movement of a coacting element longitudinally of said groove means, and said inwardly protruding means being in alignment with opposed fins at least one removed from the lower extremity of said laterally spaced members.

7. A detachably mountable pendent device as defined in claim 3, wherein said laterally spaced members have at opposed points inwardly protruding means impeding movement of a coacting element longitudinally of said groove means, and said inwardly protruding means being so positioned as to provide a temporary stop for a coacting element angularly inserted between adjacent pairs of fins, so that as swung to alignment with said groove means the coacting element clears the next successive pair of fins.

8. The unitary assemblage of a detachably mountable pendent device as defined in claim 1, and a coacting element for insertion therein, said coacting element being integrally joined at spaced peripheral points through structurally weak connecting means to the lower extremities of said laterally spaced members, whereby said pendent device and element can be handled as a uitary body 5 6 until independent movement of the coacting element is References Cited desired.

9. A detaohably mountable pendent device as defined UNITED STATES PATENTS in claim 3, wherein two pair of rearwardly positioned fins 397,083 1/1889 Knop 63-40 X provide a substantial area for bearing contact with the 5 559567 5/1896 Ohambeflam 40 11 rear surface of said coacting element, and a forwardly 1,572,994 2/1926 Garfinkle 40 11 positioned pair of fins provided a limited area for bearing 2,306,174 12/1942 Mallory 40' 11 X engagement with the front surface of said coacting element, whereby the major portion of the forwardly dis- EUGENE CAPOZIO Pnmary Exammer posed face of said coacting element is unobstructed when 10 W. J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner. mounted in said device. 

1. A DETACHABLY MOUNTABLE PENDENT DEVICE COMPRISING A RELATIVELY FLAT ELONGATED BODY PART, ONE END OF SAID BODY PART HAVING AN INTEGRAL, REARWARDLY EXTENDING CROSS-HEAD PROTRUDING LATERALLY BEYOND SIDE EDGES OF SAID BODY, RESILIENT CLAMP MEMBERS INTEGRAL WITH SAID CROSS-HEAD AND REARWARDLY SPACED FROM SAID BODY PART PROVIDING CLAMPING MOVEMENT PERPENDICULARLY TO THE PLANE OF SAID BODY PART, SAID CLAMP MEMBERS BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID BODY PART, WHEREBY SAID BODY PART, CROSS-HEAD AND CLAMP MEMBERS CAN BE FASHIONED IN 